Milwaukee area business executives, officials occupy support for UW system budget growth

Public and private leaders in Milwaukee say the growth of funds for WISCONSIN SYSTEM universities will lead to more people living and working in the state.

Last year, Wisconsin University President Jay Rothman announced that the system will ask the state legislature for an increase in the $ 855 million budget in the future state budget. In front of a panel event in downtown Milwaukee on Wednesday, Rothman said Wisconsin ranks 43rd nationwide for four-year higher education public funding.

“To win the struggle for talent, we just have to do better,” Rothman said.

“With that funding, we would be in a better position to innovate, develop talent and partner with businesses and communities,” he added. “Without it, access and affordability will be threatened.”

Rothman said 19 regional business rooms across the state have signed in a letter in support of increasing funding. The letter says that states restricting Wisconsin – Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota – all ranked within 10 leaders for public university funds.

“Wisconsin universities are undoubtedly the manufacturer of Wisconsin’s talent, and it’s time for everyone to support more investment so that this great fortune for people to have supported generations can flourish in the future,” Rothman said . “Our alternative is to allow it to dry in the vine.”

The Mayor of Milwaukee, Cavalier Johnson, who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, spoke about why he supports the budget growth during the panel.

“In terms of talent development, Wisconsin universities and institutions within the organization have an extraordinary, tremendous role to grow our economy, not only locally here in Milwaukee, but in Madison and elsewhere throughout the state of Wisconsin,” Johnson said.

Tina Chang, Director General of Syslogic, also spoke in support of budget growth. She said she chose to stay and work in Wisconsin after attending Wisconsin University -Madison.

“Large systems like UW-Madison draw attention that we may not take them as a different state,” Chang said. “This is so important, not just for research, but in investment dollars in our country, and we have to continue to shout at the roofs.”

In the past two years, registration throughout the system has been increasing. Last year, the overall enrollment increased by just more than 1,000 students. However, six two-year branch camps have also been closed or planned for closure.

Governor Toni Evers will present his next two-year budget proposal later this month. A spokesman for Evers made a September statement from the governor who said Evers supports the sending of more than $ 800 million to the system in his next budget.

“Our UW system and public education are a critical part of the workforce of our state, our economy and our future success,” Evers wrote in the statement. “If we want to keep the talent of Wisconsin’s house and bring more bright children to our country – and keep them here, too – we have to invest in our UW system all over the country. Simply as much as this.

Dale Kooynega, President of the Metropolitan Metropolitan Trade Association, also participated in the event Wednesday.

“Education is essential for what we need for workforce, and also, from a demographic point of view, there is tremendous data that show that adults, or young adults, will stay and work where they go to school , “Koyenega said behind the panel.

An analysis from Talo found a majority of college students said they plan to find a job near where they attend college.

The push for more funding comes after a recent projection revealed that Wisconsin’s population is expected to drop by nearly 200,000 inhabitants by 2050.

Johnson is pressuring the city’s population to 1 million inhabitants. He said he has heard from many young people in Milwaukee who are moving to other cities before or after college.

“And if we make these kinds of investments in our university system, if we tell young people that, ‘hey, there are opportunities for you here, there are opportunities for you here,’ I think it helps us to be a more competitive place,” Johnson said.